Portable apparatus for cleaning window-panes or the like

ABSTRACT

A portable apparatus for cleaning window-panes or the like, substantially comprising a handle carrying a roller swinging against a spring and containing a detergent liquid capable of emerging from small valves which are pressed against the roller surface as the roller rotates, a squeegee being provided for removing the detergent liquid by spongy squeezable collecting means and means for conveying the squeezed liquid into a reservoir provided in said handle.

United States Patent Ognibene 1 1March 20, 1973 54] PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR 1,077,651 11/1913 Stubenrauch ..401/21 x CLEANING WINDOW-PANE R THE 1,461,947 7 1923 Sporer ..401 13 LIKE 3,436,161 4/1969 Charos ..401 197 x 3,549,265 12 1970 Lorenz ..401 25 [76] Inventor: Pietro Ognibene, Via Lanzoni, 277,

Villarotta, 1taly FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [22] Filed: Aug. 17, 1971 616,158 H1961 App]. No.: 172,394

Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 28, 1970 Italy ..29132 A/70 U.S.Cl ..401/13, 15/119 A,401/2l, 401/25, 401/220 Int. Cl.., ..A47l 1/08 Field of Search ..15/103; 401/13, 21, 23-25, 401/29,147,197, 219, 220, 264

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 403,218 5/1889 Rose ..401/13 ltaly ..401 13 Primary ExaminerDaniel Blum AttorneyRobert E. Burns et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A portable apparatus for cleaning window-panes 01' the like, substantially comprising a handle carrying a roller swinging against a spring and containing a detergent liquid capable of emerging from small valves which are pressed against the roller surface as the roller rotates, a squeegee being provided for removing the detergent liquid by spongy squeezable collecting means and means for conveying the squeezed liquid into a reservoir provided in said handle.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING WINDOW-PANES OR THE LIKE This invention relates to a portable apparatus for cleaning windowpanes or the like and comprising a roller capable of rotating and swinging relatively to a handle, the roller being preferably coated with a spongy material and containing the detergent liquid and provided with small valves for the outlet of said liquid and pressure operated during rolling against the surface to be cleaned, a squeegee having a blade of rubber or the like being provided for removing the liquid from the surface with spongy collecting means for the liquid and squeezable, and means for conveying the squeezed liquid into a collecting reservoir in the handle.

Ordinary devices and apparatuses for cleaning window-panes and the like suffer from known disadvantages; particularly, different apparatuses are normally required and hence distinct movements which involve first the sprinkling of the detergent liquid and then the removal of the liquid from the surface by means of squeegees or the like, which normally cause local accumulations of the liquid dripping along the surface and leaving dirt stripings thereon.

In order to overcome such disadvantages, the present invention proposes an apparatus integrally combining a roller automatically distributing the detergent liquid, a squeegee removing such a liquid from the surface being cleaned and spongy means for collectingthe removed liquid and manually squeezable fromtime to time.

This invention can be better understood from the embodiment as shown in the appended drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a partly sectional side view, respectively, showing the apparatus according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a diametral sectional view showing the de-,

tergent liquid distributing roller.

An apparatus according to the invention substantially comprises a handle 1 which is internally hollow and closed by end plugs 2 and 3, so as to form a collecting reservoir designated at 4. A sleeve 5 is threaded on the handle 1 and integrally comprises a fork 6 having two parallel arms provided with opposite holes, in which a cross tube 7 is threaded and capable of freely rotating therein and with the two ends of the tube 7 terminating in two opposite shoulders 8 and 9 fixed, to the tube 7 and carrying by two opposite means 10 and 13 a rotatable roller designated as awhole at 12.

The roller 12 substantially comprises a tube 13 closed at the ends by flanges 14 engaged on the pin 10 or forming part of the' means 15, as shown in FIG. 3 on its periphery, the tube 13 is provided with holes 16, for receiving small pins 17 which can slide therein with some clearance and with their inner ends bearing against the periphery of hollow rings 18 formed of a yieldable material and having opposite peripherial edges 19 for normally sealing against the inner surface of tube 13. This tube is covered by a sleeve 20 of spongy material entirely covering it and on the inner surface of which the heads of small pins 17 resiliently bear as shown in FIG. 3. At one of the two end flanges, particularly that flange designated at in FIG. 3, a conventional unidirectional type of valve 21 is provided, that is, a valve enabling the tube 13 to be filled by a liquid from the outside through the medium of a nip or nozzle which is connected to a container or the like.

A sleeve 22 is provided in the zone between the two shoulders 6 of said fork, this sleeve 22 being fixed to said tube 7 and carrying a nib 23 having a housing 24 for receiving one end of a helical spring 25, the other end of which rests and is engaged by a pin 26 which is integral or fixed to the fork body 5. At the bottom said sleeve 22 is provided with a further nib 27, the end of which can be engaged against the bias of spring 25 by a C-shaped element 28 having its ends engaged in holes 29 provided on the two opposite flanges 6 of the fork, so that said element 28 can be freely swingable with reference thereto.

At the top the sleeve 5 is provided with an elongated flat portion 30 having side ribs 31 and a top portion 32 folded over and extending laterally on the same side of the sleeve as roller 12. Through screws 33 or similar means a box-assembly 34 is attached to said portion 32, this box-assembly being of similar length as the roller 12 and open on the front side thereof and rearwardly fitted with an outlet 55 which is connected through a tubing 35 or the like to the reservoir 4, said tubing 35 sealingly passing into a hole in plug 3.

Within said box-assembly 34, at the top a squeegee assembly is provided (see FIG. 2) and substantially comprises a blade 56 made of rubber or any resilient material, having a free side edge extending outwardly, and being retained on its opposite side by an eyeletfolded metal support 36 which is fixed relative to the box-assembly through the medium of two or more tongues 37 secured by screws or similar means.

Still within the box-assembly 34 a metal backing plate 38 is provided which is fitted along its top surface with a layer of natural or synthetic spongy material 39. This plate 38 is being provided with two upstanding ears 40 (FIG. 1) at right angles thereto which emerge from the box-assembly 34 in the top region thereof through two apertures 41 provided for this purpose. Holes are drilled in said ears 40 for receiving the ends of a C-iron 42 passing below the folded portion 32 of plate 30 and integral with a lever 43 passing through oblong apertures 44 in said folded portion 32.

On the lower portion of lever 43 a folded extension 45 is provided, passing through an aperture 46 of plate 30 see FIG. 2 and downwardly extending with the lower portion 45a passing through said plug 3 to terminate just after passing through said plug with a turned end plate 47 provided and suitable to close a hole 48 formed in plug 3 for venting air from chamber 4.

The operation of device according to the invention can be summarized as follows:

Firstly, the roller 12 is loaded by any container terminating with a nib. To do this, said nib (not shown in the drawings) is inserted in the hole 49 of the unidirectional valve, designated as a whole at 21, compressing the plug 50 of resilient material against a rigid partition 51 fitted with holes 52, thus exposing a passage-way to the interior of the roller. Upon completion of this filling operation, the hook 28 is released from the nib 27 so that the device will be at the position ,shown in FIG. 2, and the cleaning operation is started by concurrently bringing both the roller 12 and knife 35 (FIG. 2) into contact with the window-pane. Thus, by longitudinally frictionally moving the device against the window-pane, the roller 12 will rotate and cyclically compress the small pins 17 which, will deform the resilient rings 18, will allow the exit for the detergent liquid in the roller, thus wetting the spongy sleeve 20 which in turn applies the detergent liquid on the window-pan surface. At the same time, the knife 35 removes this liquid and dirt from the window-pane surface, causing the same to drop down on to spongy layer 39 and be absorbed thereby.

According to the invention, in order to only remove the liquid left on the window-pane following the first cleanings, it is only required to position the hook 28 against the nib 27 thus overcoming the force of spring 25 and bringing and holding the roller 12 in and to the position shown in FIG. 1. At this position, the knife 35 can be used alone without the action of roller 12. Due to lever 43, it is possible to squeeze now and then the spongy element 39 since, by exerting a pressure on the lever in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 2, the C-shaped element 42 will rotate and draw the ears 40 upwardly and hence the metal plate 38 which squeezes the spongy element against the upper elements, the liquid so squeezed being collected by the box-assembly 34 and supplied by the tubing 35 to the reservoir 4 provided in the handle 1. At the same time, by exerting a pressure on lever 43, the rod 45 causes the plate 47 to slightly rotate against the resiliency of plug 3, thus opening the air vent hole As apparent, when the hook is not engaging the nib 27, due to the spring 25, the roller 12 will resiliently act upon the window-pane surface and this enables substantially under any conditions said roller 12 and knife 35 to concurrently contact the windowpane surface, even though the inclination of handle 1 relative to the window-pane plane should be varied within certain limits.

Finally, it should be noted that according to the invention, by rearwardly pulling the lever 43 or preferably its top portion, the element 42 is rearwardly moved, so that its ends will disengage the holes of ears 40. Thus, the ears 40 can be easily removed from the apertures 41 and the entire assembly of spongy element 39 and support plate 38 can be removed from the boxassembly 34, in order to thoroughly clean now and then the device or to replace the spongy element.

What I claim is:

l. A portable apparatus for cleaning window-panes or the like, comprising a support element attached to a handle, said support element having a front fork, a shaft spring-loaded rotable with respect to said fork and carrying through end flanges a hollow rotable roller provided with a unidirectional valve for liquid loading and a plurality of valves for liquid exit including pins distributed on the roller surface and covered with a layer of spongy material, the top of the support element carrying a window-pane cleaning squeegee, said spring loading urging the roller outwardly.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said squeegee is enclosed in a box-assembly open on the front side and having a rear outlet connected by a tubing to a collection reservoir within the handle.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein a plate is provided below said squeegee and fitted at the top with a spongy element for liquid collection and squeezable by a manually operable lever acting upon ears connected to said plate and projecting from said box-assembly, said lever being also movable to release said ears and allow the removal of the plate and spongy element.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein a manually operable latching element is provided for opposing the bias of the spring loading to hold the said roller in a retracted position so as to use the windowpane cleaning squeegee along.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein an arm is provided integral to said lever acting upon a plate, so that when the lever is manually pressed, said plate releases against the action of resilient means a hole for venting air from the collection reservoir.

III 1 it I! i 

1. A portable apparatus for cleaning window-panes or the like, comprising a support element attached to a handle, said support element having a front fork, a shaft spring-loaded rotable with respect to said fork and carrying through end flanges a hollow rotable roller provided with a unidirectional valve for liquid loading and a plurality of valves for liquid exit including pins distributed on the roller surface and covered with a layer of spongy material, the top of the support element carrying a window-pane cleaning squeegee, said spring loading urging the roller outwardly.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said squeegee is enclosed in a box-assembly open on the front side and having a rear outlet connected by a tubing to a collection reservoir within the handle.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein a plate is provided below said squeegee and fitted at the top with a spongy element for liquid collection and squeezable by a manually operable lever acting upon ears connected to said plate and projecting from said box-assembly, said lever being also movable to release said ears and allow the removal of the plate and spongy element.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein a manually operable latching element is provided for opposing the bias of the spring loading to hold the said roller in a retracted position so as to use the window-pane cleaning squeegee along.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein an arm is provided integral to said lever acting upon a plate, so that when the lever is manually pressed, said plate releases against the action of resilient means a hole for venting air from the collection reservoir. 